Lily's Birthday
by headfirst for halos
Summary: A short story Lily's quiet, last birthday is held almost without celebration, and is in hiding. Just a cute little story about the Potters and a new arrival not who you think. RR please? COMPLETE


Story Title: Lily's Birthday

Ownership: I definitely don't own any characters. And I won't even try to… ever.

Just a short little fic, if you will. My dearest Alora gave me three random characters and I put them together. And that's all…

"Shh!" Lily giggled as she sat down next to James, "I just put Harry to sleep!"

"Listen I-" began James, too loudly. Lily automatically shushed him. He dropped down to a whisper. "I just wanted to let you know, that whatever happens, I'll be there for you."

Lily smiled ruefully, "I know you will. That is- if something happens."

"Which it won't," James agreed quickly (if not assuredly), and Lily nodded, she too unsure of the future. Lily laid her head on his shoulder, and he began to stroke her red hair. They watched the small magical fire light up the walls. Harry was so young that the two new parents hadn't gotten a chance to sleep for a while. Whether it was taking 'shifts' to look over the newborn, or both staying up to keep the other company, it was without doubt known they were exhausted. Happy, but exhausted.

Just as they began to doze off, their clock's chime began to ring loudly. James and Lily both nearly jumped out of their skins at the sudden sound. Lily gave James a horrifying look; it would wake the baby!

James shuffled around looking for his wand. Three chimes so far. Four. James was looking frantically, with Lily coaching him. "The kitchen! The kitchen!" Five chimes. "Silencio!" Lily calmed down. Maybe baby Harry wouldn't have heard it. James sat back onto the couch.

"Well, that was a close- oh no." Harry started to cry again. Lily sighed, patted James' thigh, gave him a quick kiss and said, "Well, that's my cue." She got back up, to cradle Harry and put him back to sleep.

As Lily was doing this, James ran into his office. Shutting the door behind him, he opened up the closet. Inside, he pulled out a barred box. A soft meow escaped from it, and James felt his heart melt. _Oh she's going to love him!_ He thought, taking the kitten out. He was a fluffy ginger cat, and even though he was still a kitten, he was larger than any cat twice his age. James put the kitten into a small basket and tied a green bow around his neck.

Going back to the couch, in the living room in their new hideout home, James put the basket down behind the coffee table- just out of sight. Listening carefully, James could hear Lily soothing the almost one-month-old baby. Her soft, caring voice could've just made him fall for her, but it was the caring personality that did him in. "Hogwart's dream couple," James could remember Mooney and Padfoot saying. The crying stopped.

Lily walked back into the living room looking accomplished. "Maybe he'll stay asleep this time."

"Uh- Lily, since it is past twelve, I figured I could give this to you now," James said, clearing his throat and picking up the basket.

'Aww!" sighed Lily looking at the cut kitten which looked like a ball of ginger hair. "What's its name?"

"Well- haven't gotten that far yet." James replied, feeling stupid for not having picked out a name. But he was sure it wouldn't be as hard as picking out Harry's.

"Where'd you find it?" she asked, picking him out of the basket.

"Well I caught him, and what I think was a whole troupe of brothers and sisters, outside digging about our garden. When they ran away without him, I couldn't just leave him there. Of course, then he started breaking down the tomato plants and biting the heads off the flowers.

"Oh you crook! You midget long shanks!" She teased the kitten in the same baby voice she used with baby Harry. "Those were my best tomatoes, I'll bet!"

"We should name the little guy Crookshanks! That'll be perfect for the little tiger." James joked.

"Actually, I kind of like it. Aww look at his face! James did you drop him?" Lily asked brushing back the mane of fluffy hair in front of Crookshanks' face.

"Nope," James said quickly, "must have been born like that."

"Oh well, thanks James, I like him." She smiled mischievously, "but I think I like you more."

So in their last year together, although they didn't know it was their last, they lived happily as any new parents could be. They had to be relocated several times; calling each place home as it passed, and eventually ending up in Godric's Hollow in October of 1981. James would be there to protect Lily.


End file.
